10 monks fall sick as food poisoning is suspected

Ten monks of Kharchu Dratshang in Bumthang rushed to Bumthang hospital after suffering from symptoms of food poisoning on April 15.

The first case was reported at around 1 am in the morning on the day and followed by nine other cases later in the day.

Bumthang hospital said, “Our common finding is that if it is because of food then all the monks have to be affected, and this is not the case. The monks who have come here had consumed yak meat curry.”

The hospital further added saying, “Suspecting it to be most probably because of consumption of raw, dried, yak meat, and moreover the meat happens to be from dead yak. Therefore, we have kept the sample of that curry and it has been sent to Public Health Laboratory (PHL), Thimphu for further confirmation.”

One of the monks had bought the yak meat curry from an eatery outside and shared with the other nine monks in Dratshang in the afternoon of April 14.

The common symptoms of the case are vomiting and diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. “Most common has to be vomiting and diarrhea as this makes it clear for us to suspect it to be food poisoning,” said the hospital.

All the monks were given antibiotics and symptomatic treatment. The health official said since 5 of them were not suffering from severe dehydration, they were sent back after they were treated while other 5 had to be admitted since they were suffering from severe dehydration.

The health official said there is nothing serious about the case and patients have been discharged as well.

The hospital is awaiting the results of the sample the meat curry sent for testing in Thimphu. The Bhutan Agriculture Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA) has also been notified on the issue.